"You can not fail if you resolutely determine that you will not." -Abraham Lincoln

Secretary Lowery Takes Charge…

At least someone in the current Administration has some guts. Secretary Lowery, who has gotten minimal support from her boss on making substantive changes to the State’s education policy, has finally said that enough is enough. In this morning’s News Journal, Nichole Dobo reports that the Christina School District under pressure from the teacher’s union voted to refuse to follow the State’s RTTT plan. The RTTT plan requires that:

Schools that are part of the Partnership Zone are required to write a local plan — and secure union approval for the methods of implementing that plan. Each teacher in Partnership Zone schools was required to re-interview for his or her job. State and district administrators say that is to ensure that teachers are on board with reform programs that are going to be implemented. Teachers who choose not to interview — and those who are not successful candidates — are guaranteed jobs elsewhere in the district. They were not fired, and they lost no pay, benefits or seniority. The Christina School Board, the administration and local union members signed on to their plans.

But when it came time to implement, the union did what it has done with every reform effort in Delaware… It bailed out. Why? Because

teachers … said they were not given the exact interview questions ahead of time.

That’s correct, since the union-protected teachers weren’t given the tests answers before the test, they complained. The union’s response?

No union leaders spoke at the meeting, nor did any make themselves available for comment for this story.

But, the union knew the process from the beginning and just chose to sandbag it when it was time to implement…

Emails released by the state Department of Education show that at least some union members knew in January how the process would unfold.

“IF you are chosen, you will sign a letter of commitment by Mar. 31,” Christina Education Association President Claudia Bock’s Jan. 5 email to fellow local union leaders reads. “If you are NOT chosen, you will be able to be part of the transfer process.”

A draft agreement with the union, as released to The News Journal by the state Department of Education, shows that union suggestions sent to the department Dec. 22 did not include changes that would have addressed issues raised Tuesday by the school board and some teachers.

So, why does Dr. Lowery have guts? The State Department of Education just released the following press release…

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lisa Bishop, Delaware Department of Education (302) 943-0080

STATE TO FREEZE CHRISTINA SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RACE TO THE TOP DOLLARS

Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery announced today that the Delaware Department of Education will freeze more than $11 million in federal Race to the Top (RTTT) dollars previously dedicated to the Christina School District. This action follows the Christina School Board’s vote Tuesday not to honor its agreement to implement its own previously approved reform plan at two of Delaware’s lowest-performing schools.

In addition to the more than $11 million in reform dollars, the district will also lose out on programs paid for with the state’s portion of RTTT funding. The Department also is reviewing what other fiscal and regulatory impacts could result from Christina’s actions.

“Over the last three years, the average math and English Language Arts proficiency for students at Stubbs Elementary School has declined from 54.65% in 2008 to only 40.42% in 2010. Similarly, at Glasgow High School, the math and English Language Arts average proficiency declined from 41.28% in 2008 to 35.59% in 2010.” Lowery said. “We have a moral obligation to these children to do better for them, and the school board’s recent action retreats from that obligation.”

“We hope Christina’s leadership will come back to the table and return to the work they pledged to complete,” Lowery said. “The children in these struggling schools are counting on them to do so.”

Because of the long-term failure of both schools to meet the needs of Delaware’s students, reform is needed.

In September, the state selected Christina’s Glasgow High and Stubbs Elementary schools as two of the first four schools in the state’s new Partnership Zone. Six more schools will be named this summer. As a key component of Delaware’s $119 Race to the Top plan, the Partnership Zone targets the state’s lowest performing schools with additional financial resources and technical assistance to implement aggressive reforms. Each school’s leadership chose a reform method and locally drafted a plan. Secretary Lowery approved those local plans in January.

Christina chose the transformation model for both of its schools. Among other important changes — including shifts in curricula, the addition of content-specific academies, extended instructional hours and intense intervention models – the plan developed by the district calls for school leadership and staff to re-interview for positions. Those not invited back would be moved to a position in another building that better complemented their talents. No teacher would lose any salary, benefits or seniority.

Christina, with the support of its teacher union, created a process for that selection that included a review panel dominated by teacher and local administrative representation. The district followed the process with fidelity, but on Tuesday, the school board voted not to accept the results of that process and to return teachers to their original classrooms.

“The staffing process in dispute was outlined in an agreement that Christina’s leadership crafted, signed off on, and was charged with implementing,” Lowery said. “After implementing the process they agreed to, the Christina School Board now wants to change those rules. That’s not fair to anyone, particularly the students who could lose out.”

“The Christina School District developed its reform plan and sought federal/state financial assistance to make the plan a reality. The Christina School Board now seeks to back away from the very plan that resulted in the awarding of these funds.”

Lowery said she understands that real reform is going to bring push back.

“Change is hard, but it’s the only way to get different results,” she said. “Our children can’t afford for us to stick with the status quo because it’s easier or more comfortable. They deserve better, and as leaders, it’s our job to give them better.”

NOTE: Members of the media interested in speaking with Secretary Lowery should contact Lisa Bishop at (302) 943-0080.

Actions have consequences.

Something that has been lacking in this administration in DelDot, with Senator DeLuca’s Department of Labor job, with the Weatherization program, and on…

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15 Responses

Lowery “has gotten minimal support from her boss on making substantive changes to the State’s education policy’??

Really?

What a load of crap, Charlie. This is Jack’s baby through and through.

People can listen to the entire meeting (since it is online at the Christina district web site) if they want to hear the truth about what happened and why the Board had no choice but to give due process to the district employees.

The story out of the News Journal was a joke. The reporter offered very little that substantiated the actions of the Board and laid it on thick –impressions that made it easy for readers to draw the inaccurate conclusions I see drawn here.

As someone who has spent the last 4 years starting a Charter School (we open next fall), & as someone who has spent a couple of years trying to grow opportunity & capital for Charters across the State, I think I have some pretty good firsthand knowledge of the support given to the true reform efforts by personnel in DOE versus the lack of support from the Governor’s office.

I wonder what Ms. Willing’s firsthand knowledge is. It seems to me that her “full of crap” rejoinder does not demonstrate a depth of knowledge, but clearly her emotions are running strong.

I hope Lillian sticks to her guns. I thought it was obnoxious that the president of the CSD school board took to the podium to give a speech. What kind of leadership is that — he’s supposed to guide the board, not give speeches to the board.

CSD’s board made two mistakes: 1) joining the RTTP thing in the first place; 2) choosing the model that doesn’t fire bad teachers. Young made a big play to protect the teachers; he had already done that by choosiing option 3 for the PZ. He’s a wimp. If anyone thinks Stubbs’ and Glasgow’s problems had nothing to do with the quality of the teachers, they are gullible beyond description.

It all comes down to this; The CSD “administration” aka superintendent deviated from the conditions of the signed RTTT /PZ MOU. Those changes were not communicated to the CSD board. There was only one DEDOE representative on that team sent to Glasgow and that person had nothing to do with changing the game. Markell visited Glasgow with a media blackout and further muddied the water.

The CSD board did the right thing to protect employees from the blunders of the super. At best super should have communicated the changes and the Christina union and board could have signed off.

All will get back to the table and things will move forward. Something change is hard and three steps forward and one back is the norm. Charlie’s new school is focused on helping At-risk students a surprised to many who thought he’d cater to the affluent. Charlie has to take a step backwards and requested a delay in opening his charter school and had to relocate out of the city to the Bear / Christiana area.

The Christina board needs to take corrective action against their superintendent. They voted last last fall not to extend her contract and must make a second vote next fall and then see is out June 30, 2012.

DODE must understand superintendents serve at the pleasure of the local school boards and are not employees of the state or DEDOE. Markell needs to understand local school board members are elected officials not subordinates of the governor.

Sadly to say the Race to The Top is a Republican and Democrat endeavor all tied to sending money to Wall Street as in the case of $8.2 million dollars going to Wireless Data subsidiarity of New Corporation owned by Rupert Murdoch where Joel Klein is now Executive Vice-president. Union might have a negative impact of school finances but there is no justification to send it to Wall Street profiteers.

Sadly the CSD event is overshadowing are real crisis with Reach Academy for Girls. We can debate charter vs traditional but right now children are hurting because of mismanagement of their education funds and the school may close.

As far as capital for charter schools I can support that only after there is real clear financial transparency and a means to put a lean on charter corporate property if the charter fails. A charter school can close but assets remain in the corporation control.

The Reach crisis has me looking favorable at school vouchers and I think that would be a fair concession to the Reach students if Reach is forced closed.

True reform must start with transparency and open government and a fair teacher evaluation system that factors even student attendance and parental engagement when requested. I support firing ineffective teachers and not offer retraining. They can go do that on their own time.

Sorry to rant and drift but education and reform is driven by power, ego, politics and money.

[…] At least someone in the current Administration has some guts. Secretary Lowery, who has gotten minimal support from her boss on making substantive changes to the State's education policy, has finally said that enough is enough. In this morning's News Journal, Nichole Dobo reports that the Christina School District under pressure from the teacher's union voted to refuse to follow the State's RTTT plan. The RTTT plan requires that: Schools that are … Read More […]

This is known as doing The Incompetence Dance. They all think they are getting their way so communication is poor. The emails are vague, the meetings mind numbingly boring and lots of thumb twinddling going on.

This is why I had to leave after 19 years. I am very bad at doing the Incompetence Dance and I am on chapter 4 of my book titled The Incompetence Dance, why gov’t run education is ruining our kids and our economy.

Lots of true stories of incompetence; including the day the building principal and asst principal of Glasgow snuck off to see Harry Potter II and were seen by kids at Regal Cinema who were cutting themselves, but fear not the names shall be changed.

Charlie Copeland, I was speaking to the content of this post inI disagreeing with your comment about Jack Markell’s support for his Ed Secy. It is indisputable that the RTTT reforms are his….and the DE Chamber of Commerce….and Vision 2015. Surely you have been paying attention.

Your “clarification” veers far from of the subject of this post. Claiming that you were talking about your experience getting the charter off the ground is fine but it is not at all reflected in the post. I’m no mind reader. If that was the point and meaning of your statement you should have said so in the first place.

BTW, I have a BS in psychology from the UD with 10 credits toward a MA in the Dept. of Education. Is that any indication that I might know what I am talking about?

Is Christina’s Board packed with a majority of DSEA connected or supported members like Red Clay? I can’t imagine they stopped with only one.
Might explain some things if that is the case.
That being said, whatever the interview questions are, they must be doozies to give the level of insight necessary to decide who stays and goes. Perhaps whoever came up with them could do some consulting with the TSA!

Steve the the Markell administration is well connected with DSEA that’s how the RTTT grant was won. Are you OK with Wall Street for profit ed related organizations cashing in on our tax-dollars?

The PZ MOU agreement was broken but as the dust settles it was the Christina Super who apparently took it upon herself to modify. The board needs to take corrective action against their super and perhaps fire her or at best not renew her contract.

I hope Governor Lavelle sees the seriousness in a real teacher evaluation process that will once and for all purge ineffective teachers.

Lowery is nothing but a political pawn of Markell’s, the real Secretary of Education aka Skipper’s Change Agent!

I find it interesting that after years of keeping labor off of Red Clay’s board it’s doing much better with them. Well perhaps not to the liking of the charter agenda.

Did you notice DSEA didn’t real comment in support of the teachers in question?

I am not a big fan of vouchers and have my reservations about charter schools particularly bias admission process protected by law. However, in the case of Reach the DEDOE is responsible for a politically driven charter school approval process in the if you pick a preferential education management firm it’s near a done deal.

If there were anytime to experiment with a voucher system the concerns with Read may be that time. The charter school board of directors failed and DEDOE failed big time. So take the per student cost of Reach and allow those students to attend a private school. Why force these students back to the failing public schools from which they came.

Joe, I respect each board candidate equally and have worked with both. I look forward and know I can work with either. But as far as “Red Clay” in general, the only concern I have is that the super may be gravitating toward the political spectrum like the last super. The board has delivered on some transparency with a little push such as digitally recorded board meetings, expanded financial data and a less confrontational FIOA process. The super and yes one board candidate brags about the Projected June 30th carry over. But it was the taxpayers who bailed out the old board guard.

The controversy at hand fueling certain aspects of the board race is Charter schools particularly the rent and enrollment issue. The same machine that was behind Bill’s son in-law is at work. Once candidate may just a pawn in planting a seed in a long term motive to give the right control of the Red Clay board. You and I know the issues are complexed and laced with politics. But for me those competing are food friends and both have great sense of integrity. They may have philosophical differences when it comes to education with one having direct training and knowledge.